Improvement in animal-traps



" y `to be caught.

`the bait-holder. y

linie aan anni offra WILLIAM D. "Wmaurson, or ounuNsrowN, MARYLAND( .i Lettersratentuo. 112,403, daad March 7,1871.

:iMeRoi/EMENT IN ANIMAL-TRAPs.

The Schedule referred tain these Letters Patent andA making part of the same.

-I,WILLLAM `D; WnIGnTsoN, of Queenstown, in the county of Queen Anne and State of Maryland, have invented a new 'and useful Improvementin Anio mal-Traps, of which theffollowingisa specification.

i My invention relatesto that class of animahtraps `having a tiltingplatform; and

i It consists of a device, to be more fully hereinafter described, for vlocking and holding the platform in poy sition until the animalhas hold ofthe bait, and then releasing the platform `by unlocking said device, the

` object and advantagefofwhich is to obtain a 4self-lockjmg platform, which will Anot tilt `by the weight of the animal until it is in` position tobe entrapped, thus avoldlngthe moving of the platform, which always frightens the animal away before it getsin a position In the accompanying drawingy i i Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a trap`embracing-myimprovements, the platform belng shownas locked-to the bait-holder;

Figure `2 'represents a similar-view, showing the i k platform released `and tilted, and the entrance door i `closed behind the animal; i i

Figure 3 represents an 'end View of the locking device, bait-holder, and platform; and hrgure 4, `a top view` ofthe saine.

i i :The frame A maybe entirely open, and onlyosucient to support fthe `bearings of the movingr parts of thetrap, a fixed platform, and a box, A', to inclose A sheetzmetalplatform, B, is pivoted to the frame i .A on a level with the fixed platform, sothat when `tripped it will turn npou its pivots and dump the allirn-al yinto a box, F, or other receiver below.

The locking and trippingdevice is arranged atone lend of the platform B, and consists of apendent wire rod, c, having a stop, b, onits lower end, upon which a lip, c, on the end of the `tilting platform, irests when theatrap is set, as shown in fig. 1, so as to support the l platform B in a perfectly rigid position until the ani- 11 from the supporting-lip.` p

` The `stopb is formed in a peculiarl manner by bendmal in seizing the bait-either `pulls or pushes the stop ing the wire rod a `horizontallyjust above the level of the platform B, then carrying it below the i platform, soasto form a guide,l, to render the platform selfsetting, and the stop b` at the top of said guide.

I. The stop b and guide. l are capable of swinging in the arc of a circle toward and from y the end of the platform, and the sustaining lip c of the latter is made like an L, so that theleast movement of thestopwill release the lip c and allow the platform to descend.

The bait-holder maybe arranged upon the hinged stop-rod a, but I prefer tohave a separate bait-holder hinged to the side of the frame like a crane, carrying, besides the bait-holder e, a horizontal staple-shaped stop, c', to hold the stop b from swinging too far to one sidebeneath the sustaining and tripping-lip o of the platform.

rIhe bait-holder e, however, is free to swing with the tripping-stop b in the aro .of a circle toward and j `from the platform.

The rear end of tile tilting plat-form B is connected by a vertical rod,`0, to a horizontal counterbalance, D pivoted to the topof the frame.

lhe opposite end of--the counter-balance is connected by a link-rod, f, to a vertical gate,-E, which remains open when the trap is set, but descends with the platform to close'the passage G, through which the animal -approachesthe bait.

This door 'is'not deemed necessiry, but is used in case the animal should hold on by any means to the tilted platform.

It will be seen that the connecting-link fis attached to the gate YE, so as to allow the latter' to descend by its own weight and not interfere with the tilting'of the platform;

The moment the platform is relieved of the animal the couuterbalance arm D brings it up against a stoppin, i, and also raises the gate.

As thelplatform rises its projecting lipc comes in contact with the guide-arm el of the sustaining-'stop l1, pushes it asidev until it reaches the stop, which then seeks a vertical line, and passes directly beneath the sustaining-lip c` of the platform, and thus sets itself',

the only requirement being that the trap must set level.

Having described my invention, l claimlhe combination of thesuspended tripping detent or stop l)v with the projecting lip c of the platform B, and the suspended self-setting guidelarm d, arranged and operating as described. ln testimony whereof I` have hereunto signed my name.

Witnesses: "WM, D. WRIGHTSONN A. E. H. J o'HNsoN, J. W. HAMILTON Jonsson. 

